Hot News
Thailand hot news, breaking stories, crime, politics, tourism, and business—stay updated with in-depth reports and exclusive interviews on the latest events across the country. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Thailand news source.
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Sponsored Is private health insurance in Thailand worth it? Real costs vs risks explained
Thailand has a strong healthcare system with both public and private options. Public hospitals offer affordable care, but many people, including expats, choose private health insurance for faster service, modern facilities, and more treatment choices. To decide if private health...
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PM empowers embassy to evacuate Thais from Iran
The Thai PM, who also acts as the defence minister, has given Royal Thai Embassy officials in Iran the authority to evacuate Thai citizens if it becomes necessary due to rising tensions in the region. This follows the US airstrike that killed a revered Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani last week. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs…
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PM tells Thais to “stop bickering” and “build the country”
PHOTO: VOA With his approval rating dropping and facing a parliamentary reprimand, and with a massive demonstration calling for his removal planned for January 12, Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is urging all Thais to put aside political differences and “stop bickering and spreading hatred.” “Make use of the mechanism of democracy to help build the country.” In an impromptu speech…
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Nearly 2 million Thai travellers head overseas for new year break
Nearly 2 million Thais travelled internationally for this year’s New Year celebrations. That’s a 3.9% increase over the previous year. Thai overseas travellers totalled 1,944,220 people. And although up 3.9% on outbound traffic the year before, it was 2.2% below estimates. Domestic travel between provinces totalled 4,298,626 people. That was down 6.4% from last year and 8% below estimates. Finally, travel within…
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Thai PM will head new drought command centre
Cabinet is expected to approve the establishment of a special command centre along with associated budget to tackle Thailand’s looming drought; expected to be the worst in four decades. The hot season is now well underway and is expected to continue until mid April. Narumon Pinyosinwat, a government spokesperson, says the “command centre” will be headed by Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha…
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Over 100 evacuated from Pattaya condo fire
PHOTOS: The Pattaya News More than 100 tourists and residents were evacuated after a fire in a Pattaya condo yesterday morning. Firefighters, police and rescue workers arrived quickly at the Laguna Beach condo in Jomtien, south of Pattaya city. The Pattaya Public Disaster Relief Unit coordinated rescue efforts. The room on the seventh floor where the fire started was completely destroyed,…
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Keeping Thailand’s taps from running dry
“There is no way that we can send enough water to supply all these farms.” It could be the worst seasonal drought for four decades according to the Office of National Water Resources. Speaking to the Bangkok Post, ONWR secretary-general Somkiat Prajamwong recalled that during the severe drought in 2015 (when Thailand was under military rule), soldiers were sent to protect…
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AOT sets up checkpoints to check passengers from Wuhan, China for virus
“Passengers with any suspicious symptoms detected during the initial screenings after landing will be quarantined for medical examinations.” Airports of Thailand says they are monitoring a the detection of some cases of viral pneumonia from Wuhan flights coming out of China. They say that six airports are now ready to cope with the situation by setting up international communicable diseases…
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US manufacturing activity falls to lowest level in a decade
PHOTO: teletrader.com “The data show American factories remain plagued by pullbacks in business investment at home, softer demand throughout the world and, until recently, an escalating trade war between the U.S. and China.” US manufacturing had a tumultuous year in 2019 with the weakest monthly performance for a decade, with orders shrinking and factories continuing to roll back production. The…
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Mystery Phitsanulok prisoner deaths to be investigated
PHOTO: Mishvo in Motion An investigation has been launched into the deaths of four prisoners in the northern province of Phitsanulok over the New Year holiday break. A spokesman says that The Thai Corrections Department has created a panel to investigate the deaths, which happened in close succession. Officials say the four prisoners showed symptoms related to food poisoning, such as…
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Not all Thais are happy with plastic bag ban
“There are also thousands of street side vendors of drinks, including the most popular Thai iced coffee and Thai tea, which come in a plastic cup, with a plastic lid, with a plastic straw, in a plastic bag.” After many positive reports, including from The Thaiger, it now seems that many Thai customers and vendors pushing back against the January…
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Thai shoppers get resourceful to deal with the plastic bag ban
Shoppers across Thailand are showing typical Thai ingenuity in coping with big retailers’ recent ban on single-use plastic bags, bringing buckets, baskets and even a wheelbarrow to take their purchases home, many posting images on social media (below). The ban, introduced on January 1 by all 75 members of the Thai Retailers Association, including malls, supermarkets and the ubiquitous convenience…
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Phuket 2020 – predictions by Bill Barnett
by Bill Barnett, c9hotelworks.com In a series of articles we are pondering what may happen around Thailand over the next twelve months. Bill Barnett is in the ears of the country’s many hotel operators and chains. His consultancy, c9hotelworks.com, shares some perspectives about Thailand’s largest island. All too often I am approached and asked what’s going to happen to Phuket in the…
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Online app will enable volunteers to monitor Thailand’s ‘hazardous’ farm chemicals
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control and mobile phone service providers AIS are launching an online application to enable health volunteers and officials to monitor farmers’ use of the hazardous herbicide paraquat, and pesticides glyphosate and chlorpyrifos. In November, the National Hazardous Substances Committee cancelled a December 1 ban on glyphosate and delayed the enforcement of the ban on paraquat and chlorpyrifos…
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Thailand charges towards an electric car future, with a few speed bumps
Thailand has the biggest automotive industry in Southeast Asia and the 12th largest in the world. Most of those coming out of Thai factories, well just about all really, are standard internal combustion engines with a few ‘hybrid’ models sprinkled in there as well. The hybrids include electric motors and charging systems which saves fuel and load on the petrol engines. But there…
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No plastic bags. No worries. Thailand copes with the bag ban.
PHOTO: tinysg.com A ban on plastic bans came into force this week where 75 of Thailand’s key retailers eventually bit the bullet and decided to cave into pressure and stop issuing plastic bags to shoppers. It’s not only the right things to do, it will set a vital example for Thais and force them into starting some new habits. Gone,…
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Thai water officials warn local authorities to get ready for shortages
The Office of the National Water Resources is warning that water stored in the country’s large and medium size dams is now dropping to the minimum useable level, urging measures from local agencies to ease the impact on the public. This warning goes out with another three months of dry season hanging over Thailand’s head. The annual ‘wet season’ kicks…
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Meteor shower with up to 120 meteors per hour on January 4 (tonight!)
It’s an exciting few weeks for locals looking up to the skies. Last week we had a partial solar eclipse across Thailand (most prominent in the south), and tonight (early Saturday morning) we will have a meteor shower. But you’ll need to get up early to watch it. Star gazers will be able to witness the new year’s first display of…
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This year’s new year road toll in Thailand 20% lower than last year
This year’s Thai New Year holiday road toll has dropped 20%, compared to the same 7 days last year. In fact it’s the lowest level since 2015. But 373 people still lost their life over the “seven days of danger”, that encompassed the new year traffic and days before and after, as people returned to work. The “seven days of…
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Retiring in Thailand, most of the things you need to know
Please note: The information in this document is provided as a guide only. You should always check the latest information with a Thai Immigration official or professional visa agent. Thailand remains a popular world location for retirees – the beaches, climate, access to good medical care and great food. There may be a few more potholes in the roads and…
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Hackers moved the Google location for Phuket’s popular Promthep Cape
A house at the Huay Namthor village in the Muang district of Phuket has been getting some additional visitors since December 31. Tourists, using Google Maps to find the popular attraction of Laem Promthep (Promthep Cape), the southernmost spot of the island, have been ending up 4 kilometres away from their intended destination. The location pin had been moved by…
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Thai PM on the defensive before the censure debate even begins
“A soothsayer is always a soothsayer, but that does not mean I am insulting their predictions. I respect opinions based on astrology.” Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is warning the opposition parties not to censure the performance of his previous administration (the NCPO) and to concentrate on the current government, which has been operating for nearly five months. He reminded critics…
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Starbucks Thailand introduces paper straws from next Monday
The Thai operators of Starbucks Coffee says it will provide paper straws to customers at all stores across Thailand starting next Monday, January 6. The announcement is most likely in response to the national mood to reduce usage of single-use plastic items although the local Starbucks franchise say the announcement has been in the pipeline for the past year. Starbucks…
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First meteor shower of the year to be visible January 4th
PHOTO: Artists impression. In truth there could be up to two meteors per minute at the peak, but you’ll need to be in a very dark location to get the best from the experience. Set the alarm and boil the kettle for a wake-up coffee. The year’s first meteor shower will grace Thailand’s skies on January 4, according to the…
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31 Thai provinces bracing for “severe drought”
The drought situation across nearly half of Thailand is about to get worse. The water levels in the Mekong River is at its lowest level since 1992 and the Provincial Waterworks Authority is warning 31 provinces to prepare for severe drought this year. Thai PM Prayuth Chan-o-cha is expressing concern over the situation and instructed officials to distribute water to…
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Rival demonstrations scheduled for January 12 in Bangkok
Over 10,000 people have registered for the “Run Against Dictatorship” in Bangkok on January 12, while government supporters say they are planning a rival event on the same day. The two events point to increasing political tension in Thailand, which has seen violent street protests and even coups in recent decades. Critics say the general election in March was manipulated to…
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50 year old British man dies at scene after fireworks explosion in Pattaya
PHOTO: dailymail.co.uk A British man died after a firework exploded in his face just after midnight during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Pattaya. 50 year old Gary McLaren died at the scene after a large cylindrical firework he was trying to light exploded. He was a tourist visiting Pattaya for New Year. He had visited Thailand before and arrived just…
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Single-use plastic bag ban just the beginning – Thai Minister
“It is a huge New Year’s gift to Thailand and the world.” This proud announcement from the Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varavuth Silpa-archa voicing his strong support of the ban on plastic bags that kicked in yesterday. 75 companies, covering shopping malls, and department and convenience stores, have stopped distributing single-use plastic bags. It’s a positive step as Thailand starts…
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Thai retailers start plastic bag ban. What are you doing to help?
And so it begins, a new era in Thailand, and a new paradigm where plastic bags may be seen as environmental pariahs instead of day to day necessities the Land of Smiles. Yesterday marked the first day of the ban on single use plastic bags implemented by around 75 brands under the Thai Retailers Association to reduce plastic waste. The…
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Vietnamese woman arrested using someone else’s passport documents
The Immigration Police have arrested a Vietnamese tourist posing as someone else. Immigration Police at Suvarnabhumi Airport report that on December 31 a foreigner, holding a passport with ID that didn’t look anything like her, tried to check in with the dodgy documents. Officials intervened and apprehended the girl when she was trying to use the passport to check-in with an…
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Day Five – Bangkok the most deadly province for NY road toll
The death toll for Thailand after the first 5 days of the 7 day road safety campaign was up to 256 out of 2,529 road incidents. This includes 12 road deaths in Bangkok, the most of any province The figures from the Directorate Centre to Prevent and Reduce Road Accidents. According to their stats, 42 people died on New Year’s Eve…
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